Live The Luxe Loft Life In Liberty Village

We Heart Liberty Village

Liberty Village is located in one of Toronto’s oldest sections of the original city settlements. Dedicated to industrial uses in the mid to late 1800s – and even home to Toronto’s Central Prison where the inmates manufactured railway cars for Canada Car Company – it flourished due to its proximity to the railway tracks and abundant labour force living in the surrounding area. However, in the early 1980s manufacturing operations within Liberty Village began to decline as industrial activity relocated to the suburbs, causing many buildings to fall into neglect. With the factories shut down, the area became underutilized and a bit of a wasteland, until the revitalization and rebirth of the city into a dynamic post-industrial economy fueled its redevelopment in the early 2000s into a master-planned community. As a symbol of urban reinvention, Liberty Village is regarded as one of Toronto’s best mixed-use neighbourhoods for young professionals, artists, and creative types.

Today Liberty Village combines high-rise condominiums, mid-rise buildings, and stacked townhomes with retail spaces for cafes, shops, offices, and cultural destinations like local art galleries, while still maintaining its industrial roots including the preserved tall chimney stacks projecting from the historic buildings now serving as landmarks. With the vintage warehouses converted into cool offices serving tech and film production companies and the former factories transformed into loft condominiums for hip urban homesteaders, it hints at its gritty urban past while infusing the promise of fresh beginnings.

One of the finest assets of this dynamic community is its central location. The financial district is just a 15-minute ride east on the King Streetcar, and a 10-minute stroll will immerse you in the trendy Queen West neighbourhood. Love green space? We do too!  Beloved Trinity Bellwoods Park is to the north, boasting a community recreation centre (including a swimming pool!), dog walking zone, weekly organic market, tennis courts, meandering hillocks, and loads of community events including the Queen West Art Crawl, while to the south is all the solace of Lake Ontario, including the extensive Martin Goodman Trail favoured by cyclists. Have you read our Urbaneer post called The Benefits Of Living Near Water?

Liberty Village has all the modern conveniences including a 24-hour Metro grocer, an Organic Garage, Brodflour Bakery, the LCBO and Beer Store, plus a 24-hour Goodlife Fitness, as well as many other shops, restaurants, and bars nearby. Residents certainly don’t have to go far to access the benefits of urban living. Savour your morning coffee from Balzac’s, spend the afternoon climbing the walls at Joe Rockheads, or indulge in a downward dog at Liberty Life Yoga. There are some stellar destinations for food too. Pick up some East Indian Take Out at Maurya, enjoy libations and snacks at Local Public Eatery, or fill your belly with Greek rotisserie at Liberty Village Rotisserie, which is renowned for its generous portions and superb flavour! Date night? Both School Restaurant and Mildred’s Temple Kitchen are not just local institutions but destinations of choice for Toronto foodies. Seeking some Saturday night groove? Check out the chic Forty2 Supperclub, well-known for their specific brand of urban cool nightlife.

Your Urban Playground Awaits At The Toy Factory Lofts

The Toy Factory Lofts, located at 43 Hanna Avenue, is singularly regarded as the residential development that set the tone for this neighbourhood’s “industrial revolution”.

Originally the Head Office for The Irwin Toy Company – a family run manufacturing company that produced a range of leisure play products including toys and sporting goods – its retrofit and reinvention into an 8-storey loft condominium were completed in 2008 by Lanterra Developments. Designed by Quandrangle Architects Ltd. with interior design by II BY IV Design Associates, the Toy Factory earned its bragging rights winning the coveted Project of the Year Award from the Greater Toronto Homebuilder’s Association in 2005 (as well as an additional – and unprecedented – 7 awards!)

The building is a genuine mixed-use, live-work complex containing 215 units – comprising authentic brick and beam lofts in the original structure with contemporary soft lofts on the higher floor addition – as well as accommodating over 20,000 square feet of commercial space. Much of the original structure’s industrial qualities were preserved, including the solid brick walls, steel columns, and Douglas Fir beams, while a comprehensive landscaping design was incorporated into the building’s courtyard common area, including lush plantings, paving stones, and seating areas, and an impressive skylit atrium flooded with natural light was adorned with modern interior furnishings. The building is also very pet friendly, and there are a myriad of green spaces nearby – like the Liberty Village Dog Park – to exercise your four legged friends!

This complex has long been exceptionally well-managed and highly-regarded by those who work in the shelter industry. It’s a testament to condominium owner’s pride, who have been engaged in the condominium’s operations for years. Residents enjoy a wealth of great amenities including a 24-hour concierge, a shared outdoor terrace with barbecues and a hot tub, a fitness facility and spa, a business centre, a guest suite, and visitor parking. Beanfield Internet Wi-Fi is accessible throughout the building, including the lobby, where freelancing residents have been known to congregate to make working from home more social. For all the amazing amenities, the maintenance fees are extremely reasonable. In fact, the common fees were substantially reduced in 2012 thanks to the implementation of many energy efficiency initiatives.

Sun-Kissed Loft 518

Loft 518 – having around 765 square feet per attached floor plan – is one of the uber-cool upper soft lofts that has been streamlined with a contemporary renovation. As you enter the intelligently-designed, highly-efficient interior, you’re immediately struck by the volume of this crisp white cube with 11.5′ ceilings, exposed ductwork, and black pipes. The entry is the ideal gallery to showcase your collection with directional track lighting to highlight your favourite art pieces! Directly to the left is a flexible space that can easily serve a multitude of uses, including the highly coveted and now-essential ‘Work From Home’ office. Note the abundance of storage in the wall-to-wall closet fitted with built-in shelves and organizers, cleverly hidden by the visually-arresting panels of custom graffiti!

Located off entry beyond the ensuite laundry closet is the pristine washroom with an over-sized shower and the serene sleeping sanctuary. Both these spaces invite rest and rejuvenation, and will serve as a welcome respite after an engaging day or night! After all, even those of us who embrace living the ‘bright lights, big city’ experience need to nurture our bodies and practice self-care!

Beyond the bedroom, the unit unfolds into a generous entertainment space, typical of the loft-style. You’ll revel in the intangible value of an abundance of south-facing natural light that bathes the loft from expansive floor-to-ceiling windows! This large aperture frames the city vista beyond, while the sliding glass Juliet balcony allows fresh air and gentle summer breezes to circulate throughout this soaring volume of space! If you love to host dinners or drinks, catch up over wine and snacks, or gather your pals for games night, this entertainment zone will be perfect for you. After all, there’s plenty of room for an abundance of seating, a widescreen media centre, along with room for the resident chef (or bestie) to showcase their culinary prowess!

Speaking of entertaining, the renovated chef’s kitchen has been redesigned to maximize efficiency. Having extra-deep quartz counters with waterfall edge, extra-tall white gloss cabinets, and recently installed appliances, including a stainless steel oven with classic chimney hood, we particularly adore the camouflaged fridge and freezer drawers, the 15″ bevy station, and 7-bottle wine fridge! Who wouldn’t love to gather friends around with this fully-outfitted workspace featuring plenty of prep space, task lighting, and dual-purpose, mobile stone-topped island?

Can we say chic-arrific? More of this, please!

For one fortunate buyer, this hip urban package with underground parking space and locker has reasonable common fees of $365.22, which covers water, heating/cooling, building insurance, and common elements. Ideal for the creative professional or well-styled urbanite, this luxe loft isn’t your everyday cookie-cutter condo. This is one of those unique urban homes that will have your pals say “Wow”!

Want to book a private viewing? Contact James Ormston at james@urbaneer.com for a personal tour.